How long does IT actually take?

[Vaigra]

How long does the Mclaren F1 take to reach 232mph? Has it actually been done on a straight piece of track?
I know it's reached 240+ in a test but 232mph is the most quoted figure so I'm using that.

[Chinky_boi]

There is no straight track long enough to test top speeds for most cars. It takes more then atleast 5 miles to reach top speed on most cars.

[Sweeney921]

there was (and might still be) a video on the mclaren's website for the F1 roadcar. it was an in-car taping of the top speed run they made

[F1_Master]

Its still there.

[Vaigra]

there was (and might still be) a video on the mclaren's website for the F1 roadcar. it was an in-car taping of the top speed run they made
thanx :)

[Vaigra]

actually I still don't know how long it takes :confused:

[Coventrysucks]

Quite a long time I should imagine.
You can't just go from a standing start to 240mph in one go.
You need get the tyres at the right temp/pressure otherwise you could get nasty high speed blow-outs.
Further proof that people questing for 250mph+ speeds are wasting their time.

There are so few opportunities to reach that speed - what is the point?

[@wall]

i know the track they used for the record breaking speed run had 9km straights and it took one banked turn at around 230k's then most of the second straight to hit 391kph...

[GrimaH]

Why don't the people test it out on empty stretches of desert? I mean, I've seen it done before.

[Lagonda]

Why don't the people test it out on empty stretches of desert? I mean, I've seen it done before.

Because there is not tarmac in the desert ;)

[johnnynumfiv]

Uhh.......The Bonneville Salt Flats anyone? Thats where almost every land speed record has been done. for those of you who don't know about them, they are dry lake beds made of salt(rock hard) and they are prefectly flat. http://www.utah.com/playgrounds/bonneville_salt.htm

[Coventrysucks]

Apparently there is a 5 mile dead straight, dead flat stretch of the A5 near Frankfurt-Darmstadt, with a handy fuel station.
Some guy managed to complete a number of 221mph runs just after dawn.

The F1 has a rev limiter which kicks in at 221mph, which was raised for the 241mph run.

I can imagine you'd need another few miles to get that extra 20mph.

According to McLaren, he is the only person to attempt a Vmax run in an F1.

[Wouter Melissen]

Bscher ?

[Coventrysucks]

It isn't Bscher. Not sure who they are exactly.
They have posted some great info about the car on Pistonheads
Here (http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=23&h=&t=116008)
Here (http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=23&h=&t=116303)
and here (http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=23&h=&t=116539)